Lexical Summary chathaph: To seize, snatch away, take away Original Word: חָתַף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance take away A primitive root; to clutch -- take away. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to seize, snatch away NASB Translation snatch away (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [חָתַף] verb seize, snatch away (compare Aramaic  Pa`el break in, pieces; Arabic  death) — Qal Imperfect no object expressed הֵן יַחְתֹּף וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ Job 9:12 lo ! he seizeth, and who shall turn him back ? Topical Lexicon Biblical Setting The verb appears once, in Job 9:12, where Job confesses God’s irresistible authority: “If He snatches away, who can stop Him? Who can say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’”. The rarity of the term lends weight to its immediate context, underscoring the unique, sudden, and unanswerable character of God’s intervention in human affairs. Literary Context in Job Job 9 records Job’s response to Bildad’s first speech. Job is not denying divine justice; he is highlighting his own inability to contend with the Almighty. By invoking the image of God “snatching” something away, Job pictures an action so swift and decisive that no creature can resist or question it. This motif complements the larger argument of the book, which portrays God’s transcendence even while inviting human lament. Theological Significance 1. Divine Sovereignty: The verb accentuates God’s freedom to act without permission or explanation. Similar declarations appear elsewhere—Daniel 4:35, Isaiah 45:9—but Job’s wording stresses the immediacy of God’s sovereignty. Historical and Cultural Backdrop Ancient Near Eastern literature contains accounts of deities seizing individuals or objects, usually in anger or assertion of power. Scripture employs similar imagery but grounds it in monotheism and covenant faithfulness. In Job 9 the verb serves apologetic ends: Israel’s God, unlike the capricious pagan gods, possesses absolute right coupled with moral perfection (Deuteronomy 32:4). Intertextual Echoes Though the exact Hebrew term is unique, the concept reappears: Such passages balance awe with assurance: the same God who can remove life in an instant also guarantees eternal security in Christ. Ministry Implications Pastoral care must reckon with moments when God “snatches” away health, opportunity, or even life. Job teaches that silence before mystery is not unbelief but reverence. Comfort is found not in human explanations but in divine character: “He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). Practical Application • Worship: The congregation should acknowledge God’s prerogative in confession and praise, echoing Job’s humility (Psalm 115:3). Christological Reflection At Calvary, the Father “handed over” the Son (Romans 8:32), yet no one could seize Him apart from His voluntary submission (John 10:18). The cross thus transforms the fearful image of divine seizure into the saving act whereby believers are “seized” from darkness (Colossians 1:13). What Job saw partially, the Gospel reveals fully: God’s unstoppable power is now directed toward redemption. Conclusion The single appearance of this verb crystallizes a timeless truth: God’s actions are decisive, unassailable, and ultimately good. Awe before His might, joined to faith in His mercy, equips the Church to endure the sudden turns of providence with steadfast hope. Forms and Transliterations יַ֭חְתֹּף יחתף Yachtof yaḥ·tōp̄ yaḥtōp̄Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 9:12 HEB: הֵ֣ן יַ֭חְתֹּף מִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נּוּ NAS: Were He to snatch away, who KJV: Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder INT: behold to snatch who restrain 1 Occurrence |
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